Tricks Not Treats
by Rupert Brown
Summary: It's Halloween and Lizzie and company are trapped in a spooky 'haunted' house. Written in Screenplay format.
1. Default Chapter

This episode takes place during Season 2. I've always felt that Season 2 lacked a true Halloween episode like the one Season 1 had. Consequently, this was my first "Lizzie" script, and as such is 'rougher' than the ones I've written since then. But while the writing may not be as 'polished', I still think it works.

And remember: feedback is always good. -)

COLD OPENING

FADE IN:

INT. MCGUIRE HOME – KITCHEN – DAY

CLOSE ON: JO as she is just getting off the phone.

Enter LIZZIE coming in to show off her Halloween costume. It's a pink Renaissance Princess number.

LIZZIE  
(twirling)  
What do you think?

JO  
You look beautiful honey.

LIZZIE  
Do you really like it? I'm wearing it to the Halloween Dance tonight.

JO  
Oh. About that…

Lizzie turns to her mom concerned – she knows she's about to hear something she doesn't like.

JO  
(apologetically)  
I just got off the phone with Grandpa Chuck. Nana's come down with a cold and he needs some help taking care of her. So your dad and I have to go. We probably won't be back until late.

LIZZIE  
(hesitantly)  
Uh, huh.

JO  
(expecting an eruption)  
So you'll have to take Matt trick-or-treating instead.

LIZZIE  
What! But mom, I've been planning for this dance all week!

JO  
I know, I know. And I'm really sorry honey, but I don't want Matt going out alone, unsupervised.

LIZZIE  
But he'll be with Lanny. And besides, isn't it about time he learned to do things on his own?

LIZZIE (CONT'D)  
(off look)  
Ugh! Okay, okay. But can't you take him with you? I'm sure Nana and Grandpa Chuck would love to see him.

ANIMATED LIZZIE  
And even if they don't, take him anyway!

JO  
'Fraid not.

Lizzie is now clearly desperate.

LIZZIE  
Then how about he comes to the dance with me? Like last year.

ANIMATED LIZZIE  
Surely this act of desperation must earn me some sympathy points.

JO  
It's because he didn't get to go last year that I want him to this year.

LIZZIE  
(switching tact)  
Matt's eleven now, don't you think he's just a little too old to go trick-or-treating?

JO  
You were still trick-or-treating when you were eleven.

**DIGITAL STILLS:**

**Lizzie in marching band uniform on a doorstep trick-or-treating with other kids.**

**Person putting candy in bags.**

**Close up of eleven-year-old Lizzie hugging bag to her chest with a rapturous look on her face.**

**BACK TO SCENE**

LIZZIE  
Buh—

JO  
(interrupting)  
Case closed. You take your brother trick-or-treating and keep an eye on him. We'll be back as soon as we can. You have Nana and Grandpa Chuck's number if you need us.

JO (O.S.)  
Sam!

ANIMATED LIZZIE  
Great. As if missing the dance wasn't bad enough, I have to baby-sit my skunkhead little brother. Talk about a Halloween trick.

Animated Lizzie gets hit on the head by a roll of toilet paper

FADE OUT:

END OF COLD OPENING


	2. Act I

ACT ONE

FADE IN:

EXT. SIDEWALK – NIGHT

Lizzie, MIRANDA, GORDO, MATT and LANNY are walking down the street. Lizzie is dressed in her Princess costume, Miranda is dressed as a 'sexy' Witch, Gordo as a Monk with Matt and Lanny as a Skeleton and Pirate respectfully. Matt and Lanny have full trick-or-treat bags.

LIZZIE  
(to Miranda and Gordo)  
Thanks again guys for coming with me. I don't know how I would have made it through the night without you.

MIRANDA  
Hey, no problem. What are friends for?

GORDO  
Besides, I haven't been trick-or-treating in years. Look at all this loot!

Reveal Gordo's own trick-or-treat bag—he's been joining in on the festivities.

LIZZIE  
(laughing)  
I don't think the idea was for you to go trick-or-treating Gordo!

GORDO  
Are you kidding me? Free candy! Free! Slap on a costume, ring a doorbell, and ba-boom! You're rolling in the sweet stuff. I love Halloween.

The girls shake their heads as they walk down the street.

LIZZIE  
(to Matt)  
It's getting pretty late Matt. We'd better head home.

Matt consults with Lanny (who is silent as always)

MATT  
Lanny wants to know if we can go to just one more house. Pleeeease?

LIZZIE  
(resigned)  
Okay, one more house. But that's it.

MATT  
Cool.

ANGLE ON NEXT HOUSE

It's a creepy run down prototypical 'Haunted House'

MIRANDA  
Eww. Creepy.

GORDO  
I guess they went all out.

The gang walks up onto the porch and to the front door.—CONTINUOUS

Matt rings the doorbell—nothing happens.

Lizzie is starting to get a little creeped out.

LIZZIE  
Um, it looks like no one's home. Let's go Matt.

But Matt is determined to get that 'one last house' and the subsequent candy it would provide.

MATT  
Maybe the doorbell doesn't work.

He starts knocking on the door when it swings eerily open to everyone's surprise.

MATT  
Hello. Anybody home?

Matt and Lanny wander inside to find the occupants.

LIZZIE  
Matt! Get out of there!

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE

The boys wander further inside.

CUT TO:

EXT. FRONT PORCH – SAME TIME

LIZZIE  
Matt!

GORDO  
Who leaves their door unlocked at night? On Halloween?

LIZZIE  
Ugh!

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE – SAME TIME

Lizzie goes inside to retrieve Matt and Lanny who are still just ambling around. Gordo and Miranda follow.

LIZZIE  
Come on Matt, let's go!

She grabs his arm. As they all turn to leave, the front door slams shut on them—startling them all.

MIRANDA  
That can't be good…

Gordo walks to the door.

GORDO  
Let's get out of here.

He turns the doorknob—the door won't open. It's locked somehow.

GORDO (CON'T)  
(puzzled)  
It's locked.

MIRANDA  
Locked? Locked? How can it be locked?

GORDO  
I don't know.

LIZZIE  
Maybe it's just stuck or something. Let's see if we can find the backdoor before whoever lives here finds us in their house.

Matt looks at all the cobwebs and dust covering the place.

MATT  
I don't think anybody lives here.

GORDO  
Sure they do—they just got into the spirit of things, that's all.

LIZZIE  
Come on.

Lizzie leads them farther into the house.

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE – DILAPIDATED KITCHEN – CONTINUOUS

MIRANDA  
These people must really be into Halloween Gordo. They even decorated the kitchen…

GORDO  
So they're eccentric. That still doesn't make this place a 'haunted' house.

A mysterious rattling sound begins.

MIRANDA  
Maybe not, but that sure might!

GORDO  
It's probably just the pipes.

LIZZIE  
Gordo's right, we're getting scared for nothing. Let's find a way out of here fast.

Matt stumbles across a door.

MATT  
Hey, I think I found the backdoor!

He opens the door.

ANGLE ON – A trophy room full of mounted animal heads. Lions, tigers, bears, oh my!

MATT  
Argggggh!

They all come rushing to Matt.

LIZZIE  
What is it?

MATT  
It's a chamber of horrors!

GORDO  
So they're into taxidermy…

Miranda isn't convinced.

MIRANDA  
Right.

LIZZIE  
Let's keep looking.

CUT TO:

Montage of the gang searching all over downstairs—behind tables, under couches, anywhere there might be a way out.

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE – MAIN ROOM – SHORT TIME LATER

GORDO  
Okay, we've searched the entire first floor—not a way out in sight. Not even a window large enough to fit through. What now?

LIZZIE  
I guess we try upstairs. Maybe there's an open window or something.

MIRANDA  
I'd settle for a phone. Anybody seen one yet?

LIZZIE  
It must be upstairs.

She leads the group up the stairs.

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE – STAIRWELL

The stairs creak ominously as the kids go up them.

MIRANDA  
I don't like this…

GORDO  
There is absolutely nothing to be afraid of.

MATT  
Except maybe ghouls!

Lanny nods in agreement.

LIZZIE  
Matt! There are no ghouls here, all right?

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE – SECOND FLOOR LANDING

The gang find themselves in the middle of a long hallway that turns at both ends. All along the way are various doors.

MIRANDA  
That's a lot of doors.

ANIMATED LIZZIE  
Great. At this rate we'll be here all night.

GORDO  
Let's split up. We've a better chance of finding a way out.

LIZZIE  
Good idea. Matt, Lanny, you're with me. Miranda, you and Gordo look around.

Lanny pulls at Matt and 'tells' him something.

MATT  
Lanny's not so sure we should split up.

LIZZIE  
It'll be fine. Come on.

Lizzie, Matt, and Lanny take off down the hall in one direction with Gordo and Miranda going in the other.

CUT TO:

INT. NANA AND GRANDPA CHUCK'S HOUSE - KITCHEN

Jo is busy making some chicken soup for Nana while SAM is cutting some vegetables.

SAM  
You think the kids are okay?

JO  
They're fine Sam. There are plenty of people out on the streets tonight. Relax.

SAM  
I guess you're right.

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE – HALLWAY

Lizzie, Matt, and Lanny are standing outside a door. Lizzie has her hand on the doorknob, braced to turn it, while Matt and Lanny look on.

LIZZIE  
(under breath to self)  
It's not like there're actually monsters here.

She opens the door to reveal—a dusty bedroom. She lets out a breath relieved.

LIZZIE  
See? I told you there was nothing to be scared of.

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE - BEDROOM

She leads them into the room. She then spies a window at the far end.

LIZZIE  
Oh look! A window!

She rushes over to see if it will open when a pair of yellow eyes appear out of the dark on the other side of the pane.

LIZZIE  
Ahhhhhh!

Matt and Lanny (though silently in his case) scream as well.

They all rush out of the room.

ANGLE ON – The pair of eyes at the window. They blink rapidly, and when their owner shifts to catch the moonlight it is revealed to be an ordinary owl.

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE – A LARGE WALK IN STORAGE ROOM– SAME TIME

Gordo and Miranda are walking around inside. There is a bunch of old junk. Broken furniture, old rugs, that sort of thing.

MIRANDA  
I don't see a phone Gordo.

GORDO  
Here's one.

Picks up an old broken phone.

MIRANDA  
I meant one that works!

GORDO  
Well, let's keep looking.

They rummage around some more when a shuffling sound begins.

MIRANDA  
Um, is that you Gordo?

GORDO  
No. I thought it was you.

MIRANDA  
Me? How can it be me? I'm standing still!

GORDO  
Well, so am I.

MIRANDA  
So, if it isn't you and it isn't me…

GORDO  
Maybe it's just some mice.

MIRANDA  
Mice? You think there might be mice up here?

GORDO  
It is—

Gordo is interrupted by a crashing sound—we see some piled up junk fall to the floor a little behind Miranda.

Miranda and Gordo jump.

MIRANDA  
Don't tell me that was mice Gordo!

GORDO  
It's just some junk that fell. This stuff is stacked up all over the place, waiting to fall over. It's not a big deal.

MIRANDA  
Not a big deal? Not a big deal? You weren't the one just about clobbered Gordo. I'd say that it's a big deal!

GORDO  
You're making something out of nothing. Let's just find something we can use to get out of here. Okay?

They start digging through the stuff again.

P.O.V. Shift – We are suddenly looking at Miranda and Gordo through a pair of eyes belonging to someone or something hidden amongst the clutter.

MIRANDA  
I still don't like this.

P.O.V. Shift – Back to normal

We see Miranda and Gordo looking amongst the junk still. Miranda moves aside a crate only to reveal two yellow eyes staring at her. Miranda jumps back screaming.

MIRANDA  
Ahhhhhhh!

GORDO  
Wha—

The rest of the sentence is choked off as he sees the eyes. Miranda grabs him and they both run from the room.

ANGLE ON: the pair of eyes and the pile of junk. It stops shaking and out jumps a cat.

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE – SECOND STORY LANDING

The two groups, running from their separate 'terrors' all converge.

MIRANDA  
(frantic)  
I really don't want to be here any more!

MATT  
I'm with her!

Lanny nods emphatically.

GORDO  
Okay, obviously the 'let's split up' plan didn't work.

MIRANDA  
You think?

GORDO  
So how about we all stick together and go door by door? It's slower but…

MIRANDA  
But nothing! Let's do it.

The kids huddle together and approach a door at random.

ANIMATED LIZZIE  
Why do I suddenly feel like Alice in Wonderlaaaaaaaaand!

Animated Lizzie opens a door only to be pulled into a swirling vortex.

Gordo opens the door and they all go inside.

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE – OLD AVIARY

The place is a shambles. Old broken, half rusted cages, old feed containers, a few stuffed and mounted birds, newspaper/sawdust litter the floor.

GORDO  
Well, at least this isn't scary.

LIZZIE  
No, just gross.

MATT  
Ewww!

Matt picks up an old dusty stuffed vulture.

MIRANDA  
I don't see anything in here that can help us. Let's try another room.

GORDO  
(pointing upward)  
Wait, there's a skylight. If we could just reach it…

LIZZIE  
Hello, none of us can fly Gordo.

GORDO  
Maybe if we piled some stuff on top of each other…

MIRANDA  
I don't know Gordo, it's pretty high up there.

GORDO  
It's either that or continue to poke around this place all night.

MIRANDA  
(beat)  
What are we waiting for?

CUT TO:

SHORT MUSCIAL MONTAGE:

The kids are collecting and piling up the various junk in the room to end up making a makeshift platform to stand on.

End of Montage

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE – OLD AVIARY

Once finished, they all crane their necks upwards to see their handy work.

GORDO  
So, who's first?

MIRANDA  
What do you mean? It was your idea!

GORDO  
You crazy? I'm not testing that thing!

MIRANDA  
Don't look at me!

MATT  
Lanny and I'll pass.

LIZZIE  
Fine. I guess I'll do it.

GORDO  
Way to be McGuire! Good luck.

MIRANDA  
(worried)  
Be careful.

ANIMATED LIZZIE  
Yeah, yeah. Send blondie to do all the dangerous stuff. Some friends.

Lizzie hesitantly climbs onto the visibly wobbly pile of the debris and slowly makes her way to the top.

CLOSE ON: Lizzie as she strains to reach the skylight.

She is able to just reach it and manages to push it open.

LIZZIE  
I've got it open.

GORDO  
I knew she could do it.

Lizzie reaches out and grabs the still and manages to leverage herself partly out onto the roof.

CUT TO:

EXT. SIDEWALK – NIGHT

We see two kids coming off of a night of trick-or-treating. One is holding a balloon that is made after the likeness of a ghost. While walking, the balloon gets away from the kid and floats off.

CUT TO:

EXT. HAUNTED HOUSE – ROOF

Lizzie is looking around the roof when the ghost-balloon, caught by the wind, meets her face to face.

LIZZIE  
Arggggggghhhh!

In her terror she steps back, which shifts the entire unsteady platform upon which she stands. Wheeling her arms, she falls down along with the platform itself, and in doing so burying the entire group.

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE – OLD AVIARY

We then see the kids slowly rise out of the wreckage, none the worse for the wear, but dusty, dirty, etc.

MIRANDA  
Great plan Gordo.

GORDO  
Yeah, well… What happened Lizzie?

LIZZIE  
I—I saw—I saw… something.

GORDO  
What?

LIZZIE  
Let's—let's just find another way out.

GORDO  
Fine. Lead the way.

ANIMATED LIZZIE  
Trying to find our way out of an old haunted house is not how I envisioned spending my Halloween.

FADE OUT:

END OF ACT ONE


	3. Act II

ACT TWO

FADE IN:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE – ANONYMOUS ROOM

The kids are reclined in various positions in the room. Sitting in a chair, standing by a fireplace, on the floor, etc. They are apparently taking a break from trying to find a way out of the house.

Matt and Lanny have dug into their trick-or-treat bags and are munching on their candy. Miranda has 'appropriated' Gordo's and is eating its contents.

Lizzie is visibly frustrated.

LIZZIE  
Tell me Gordo, what happened to that brilliant theory of yours that somebody lived here?

GORDO  
Eh, I was wrong. So sue me.

LIZZIE  
Ugh! There's got to be a way out of here!

GORDO  
Of course there is. We just haven't found it yet.

LIZZIE  
We can't keep searching rooms all night.

MIRANDA  
Not to mention that our parents will kill us if we're out too late.

GORDO  
(sarcastically)  
All right, all right. Here's the new plan. Matt, you shimmy up the fireplace here and get out on the roof. From there you leap in the branches of a neighboring tree, and then slide down and get help.  
(beat)  
There, happy?

MIRANDA  
Not particularly.

GORDO  
Yeah, well, too bad.

LIZZIE  
Look guys, fighting isn't going to get us anywhere. Let's just keep looking.

MIRANDA  
(de sotto voice)  
Like I haven't heard that for the umpteenth time…

LIZZIE  
Miranda!

MIRANDA  
Sorry, sorry.

Matt and Lanny pick up their bags and the group makes its way out of the room.

CUT TO:

INT. NANA AND GRANDPA CHUCK'S HOUSE – LIVING ROOM

Sam and Jo are taking a brief rest from helping Nana and Grandpa Chuck.

SAM  
You think we should call the kids?

JO  
They're probably still out trick-or-treating. Let them have some fun. We'll be home soon enough.

SAM  
(smiling)  
Yeah, they're probably having the time of their lives.

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE – HALLWAY

Miranda and Matt are in a tug of war match over his trick-or-treat bag. She's already polished off Gordo's.

ANIMATED LIZZIE  
Either we get out of here soon or we'll be putting on our own production of "Alive"!

GORDO  
We've searched downstairs. We've searched upstairs. We've searched bedrooms, and living rooms, and bathrooms, and closets. We've searched high and low.

ANIMATED LIZZIE  
And I've seen enough cobwebs to last me a lifetime.

GORDO  
All that is left is the attic.

MIRANDA  
The attic? What are we going to find up there? It's the highest point in the house!

GORDO  
I know, I know. But it's the only place we haven't tried yet. You have a better idea?

MIRANDA  
No.

GORDO  
There you go.

LIZZIE  
It's worth a shot.

GORDO  
(to Lizzie)  
After you.

Lizzie leads them down to the far end of the hallway where the next flight of stairs are located.

MATT  
Lanny and I'd just like to go on record as not liking this idea.

LIZZIE  
Well, none of us do. But it's the only one we've got.

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE - STAIRWELL

The gang climbs the stairs only to stop before a door.

GORDO  
The attic.

MIRANDA  
You don't say…

Lizzie turns the doorknob and opens the door slowly. The kids peer into the room before filing in.

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE – ATTIC

LIZZIE  
Stick together.

MIRANDA  
You don't have to tell me twice.

They creep along cautiously—all the while the door is slowly swinging shut behind them until finally it does so with a faint 'click'.

MATT  
(hearing the door shut)  
What was that?

GORDO  
It sounded like the door.

He goes to check it out.

MIRANDA  
Don't tell me. Don't tell me…

GORDO  
It's locked.

MIRANDA  
I told you not to tell me!

ANIMATED LIZZIE  
This cannot be happening!

LIZZIE  
That just means we have to find a way out up here.

ANIMATED LIZZIE  
Or it could mean that we're doomed!

They all start searching around.

GORDO  
See if you can find a ladder, or some rope or something.

MATT  
Here's a ball of string.

ANIMATED LIZZIE  
Great. We can knit our way out of here.

LIZZIE  
Oh! Here's something!

She pulls out what looks to be part of a pair of stilts.

LIZZIE (CONT'D)  
It looks like a stilt.

MIRANDA  
If we have to we can always pole vault our way out of here…

Lizzie shoots her a look and continues rummaging around.

Unnoticed, Matt leans back against the wall to wipe his brow. When he does so the wall swings open behind him—causing him to fall back into a secret passage. Before he can say anything, the wall swings back into place trapping him behind it. After a little while Lizzie notices Matt is gone.

LIZZIE  
Where's Matt?

Confused, they all look around.

LIZZIE  
Lanny, did you see where Matt went?

Lanny shakes his head.

LIZZIE  
(calling out)  
Matt!

A pounding sound begins behind the walls—the kids all jump as one.

MIRANDA  
(scared)  
What's that?

LIZZIE  
I don't know.  
(beat)  
Matt!

The pounding sound increases in tempo.

GORDO  
Matt, is that you?

The pounding picks up another notch.

LIZZIE  
It must be him. Matt, where are you?

Nothing but more pounding.

GORDO  
Sounds like it's coming from the walls.

Gordo starts feeling the walls.

LIZZIE  
Matt, can you hear me?

More pounding.

GORDO  
Wait. I think it's coming from over here.

Gordo presses himself closer to the spot on the wall when the wall swings open again, surprising him and Matt.

LIZZIE  
Matt! How did you get in there?

MATT  
I don't know. One second I'm leaning against the wall, and the next I'm back here.

GORDO  
It's a secret passage.

He starts to inspect it.

GORDO (CONT'D)  
It looks like a hallway. We should explore it.

MIRANDA  
Uh, uh. I'm not going in there. It's creepy, it's dark—

GORDO  
(interrupting)  
It's maybe a way out.

MIRANDA  
Out of my way.

She shoves her way through to the forefront.

ANIMATED LIZZIE  
As if this place wasn't scary enough as it is. Now it's got secret passageways? Normal people don't build secret passageways into their homes!

The gang walk down the darkened hallway huddled together.

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE – SECRET PASSAGEWAY

MATT  
Do we know where we're going?

GORDO  
Not a clue.

MIRANDA  
Well, it better lead to a way out. I can't stand much more of this.

ANIMATED LIZZIE  
She can't stand much more? What about me?

GORDO  
Hey, does anyone else feel that?

LIZZIE  
Feel what Gordo?

GORDO  
It feels like a breeze.

MIRANDA  
It must be coming from outside!

Miranda pulls farther ahead.

LIZZIE  
Miranda! Wait!

Lizzie and the others hurry up to catch up with Miranda.

They all come out into some sort of laboratory, all cobweb strewn. Typical 'Mad Scientist' set up. Test tubes, electrodes, etc.

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE – SECRET LABORATORY

MIRANDA  
(re: laboratory)  
Oh, I know this can't be good.

GORDO  
(fascinated)  
It looks like some kind of laboratory.

LIZZIE  
We can see that Gordo. The question is what is it doing here?

MATT  
Who cares? Is it a way out?

GORDO  
Doesn't look it. Though that explains the breeze.

Gordo points to a large overhead fan set into the ceiling. They can see the night sky behind the screen mesh.

MIRANDA  
Ugh!

In frustration, Miranda stomps her foot. In doing so she triggers a trap door beneath her to spring open—leaving her to fall down a shoot to depths unknown.

MIRANDA  
Ahhhh!

LIZZIE  
Miranda!

They all rush to the edge of the trap door and peer down, but it's too dark to see anything.

GORDO  
Miranda! Are you all right?

They wait anxiously to hear some sign of their friend. A weak groan reaches their ears.

LIZZIE  
Miranda?

MIRANDA  
I'm okay.

LIZZIE  
Where are you?

MIRANDA  
I don't know.

GORDO  
Hold on, we're coming down.

Gordo positions himself over the hole and slides down. The others follow suite. They all land in a pile of old sackcloth. The room itself looks to be some sort of old stable.

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE – OLD STABLES

LIZZIE  
What is this place?

GORDO  
An old stable. It's where they kept the horses before there were cars. This house must be old. I guess they must have built over it over the years.

MIRANDA  
Well, if it's a stable, then that must mean there's a way for the animals to get out, right?

GORDO  
Mmmm, no. Did any of you see a stable outside?

They all shake their heads.

GORDO (CONT'D)  
My point exactly. This place has been built over.

LIZZIE  
But there must be some opening to the outside. After all, we have enough light to see by.

GORDO  
(pondering)  
Good point.

MIRANDA  
Alright then. Let's get looking.

They all start looking around. Lanny moves a broken crate, which hits an old sweeper broom, which in turn disturbs a bat that had been roosting. The bat flies out and all sorts of commotion ensues.

GORDO  
It's a bat!

LIZZIE  
A bat?

CUT TO:

A SHORT MUSCIAL MONTAGE:

The gang is running to and fro trying to get away from the bat.

Finally, the bat flies out through an old drain of some sort at ground level. It's small, but just large enough for some kids to fit through.

End of Montage

CUT TO:

INT. HAUNTED HOUSE – OLD STABLES

GORDO  
It's gone. It's gone.

He notices the drain it flew out.

GORDO (CONT'D)  
Hey, look! It's a drain hole!

LIZZIE  
And it looks like it opens out on ground level!

MATT  
But is it big enough for us to fit through?

MIRANDA  
Only one way to find out!

She rushes over to the drain.

MIRANDA (CONT'D)  
Someone give me a boost.

Gordo and Lizzie help Miranda up to the drain.

GORDO  
See anything?

MIRANDA  
I can see stars!

ANIMATED LIZZIE  
That's encouraging!

MIRANDA  
There's some kind of grate, but it looks loose. I think I can lift it.

GORDO  
Great!

MIRANDA  
There, got it!

Miranda climbs out through the drain.

CUT TO:

EXT. YARD – NIGHT

Miranda helps Lizzie out, followed by Gordo and the rest.

MATT  
Freedom!

LIZZIE  
Whew! Am I ever glad to be out of there.

MIRANDA  
Let's vamoose before something else happens!

GORDO  
Didn't this experience teach you anything?

MIRANDA  
Yeah, not to go into spooky old haunted houses!

GORDO  
Miranda, there's no such thing as ghosts and goblins.

LIZZIE  
I don't know Gordo. We all saw things we can't explain.

GORDO  
That's ridiculous. We allowed our imaginations to run away with us. There were perfectly logical explanations for everything that went on in there.

MATT  
Then what about all those secret corridors and hidden rooms?

GORDO  
So the person who built the house was paranoid. That doesn't make it 'supernatural'.

MIRANDA  
Okay Gordo, maybe it wasn't haunted. But still, even you have to admit things weren't normal.

GORDO  
I'll admit that it was a bit… out of the ordinary. But there are no monsters. Okay?

MIRANDA  
(reluctantly)  
Okay.

LIZZIE  
Okay.

MATT  
Okay.

Lanny motions his acquiescence.

GORDO  
Finally. There are no such things as monsters.

At that moment a horrible bug headed monster rounds the curb coming straight for the kids, beckoning to them.

LIZZIE/MIRANDA/GORDO/MATT  
AHHHHHHHH!

They all scream and run off as fast as they can.

The 'creature' takes off its head to reveal LARRY TUDGEMAN in a costume.

TUDGEMAN  
(confused)  
Guys?

FADE OUT:

END OF EPISODE


End file.
